A video featuring Ylvisakers and other performers in animal outfits has been viewed more than
100 million times on YouTube.

The brothers are the hosts of a comedy talk show,
I Kveld Med Ylvis (Tonight With Ylvis), on Norwegian television.

They made
The Fox with assistance from Stargate, the Norwegian-born, New York-based producing duo
that has also helped create hit songs for Rihanna, Katy Perry and Wiz Khalifa — except that their
track, the Ylvisakers said, was intended to be bad.

“From a comedian’s perspective, it would be much more fun if we misused their talents,” Bard
said. “We go make that song, we come back to our talk show, and we say, ‘Sorry, guys.’”

Instead, the video became an international phenomenon — catching the attention of Warner Music,
which had already signed Ylvis to the Norwegian arm of the company.

Sales of the song — about 75,000 copies a week, without radio play or a marketing campaign —
impressed the label, said Peter Gray, senior vice president for promotion at Warner Bros.
Records.

Enthusiasm for
The Fox will inevitably wane, said Vegard, 34.

“You can’t be amazed for an entire month,” he said. “At some point, it has to level off.”